Another Sort of Responsibility
by Draconian Elflord
Summary: Okay, I know the title's lame...maybe someone could come up with a better one. This is a little fic about Sesshomaru and all the fatherly feelings he has for chibi Rin. I think it's very sweet, but I shall leave that up to my reviewers. Please R+R, but pl


Another Sort of Responsibility  
  
Elflord: Alright, alright, I don't own Inuyasha or any o' the characters. I really wish I did, especially Sesshomaru, but unfortunately, I do not. I don't own anything. In fact, I don't own anything except this little ficcy. . . and that's pretty damned sad. Please. . . don't rub it in.  
  
It was the night of the Dark Moon. Inuyasha would be weak tonight. Sesshomaru sighed to himself. Almost every Dark Moon he could remember, he had had but one thought on his mind: to kill Inuyasha when he was human form, and more prone to his attacks. Then the Tetsuiga would be his. . . if he could touch it, of course. That was the problem, wasn't it? But not tonight. Perhaps never again.  
  
How strange, how life turned out the way it did.  
  
It had been exactly one lunar cycle since he had been alerted by the smoke of the fires of that ruined village. He'd been in hot pursuit of Inuyasha, as he was every Dark Moon, when his sensitive nose picked up the scent of fire. His ears had perked to the sound of crackling flames. Out of sheer curiosity, he followed the smoke. Perhaps Inuyasha would be found somewhere nearby. But that would be the least of his concerns.  
  
The village was completely deserted. Burning buildings fell all around, but he was not in danger at all. The entire village was completely deserted. No one in sight anywhere. Or at least no one alive. There was what looked like charred remains, but he couldn't be too sure. It didn't look like Inuyasha was here, but he still searched through the ruins, the angry flames lighting the night up like daylight. Something was here that he was supposed to find. He was about to give up, when he suddenly got a feeling something was behind him.  
  
She was so precious, in a sorrowful sort of way. Her clothes were tattered, and she was completely unconscious. She didn't move, but she was still let out a small cry. Most times, he would have left her where she was. He hated human beings and all they represented. But to this tiny human girl, there came a strange sense of responsibility. As he took the little child in his arms with the annoying Jaken hot on his heels, he felt a sudden sense of a little purpose.  
  
Nearly one month afterward, here they stood, walking together, the three of them. A human, a demon, and a toad. . . what a set up. It was so strange, how he'd taken to the young one so quickly. It was like she just fit right in with the life he led. She never questioned him or his purposes, but she did follow him wherever they went, and she was very good company to have along, even if she was a human being, after all. Jaken's company was starting to get a little old.  
  
The thing that caught his attention above all was her fear. Or actually, the lack thereof. For his whole life, humans had been frightened of Sesshomaru. They cowered before him, praying for their lives. How many times had he taken them all the same? He had killed so many in his time. And yet this little one, this one who was so defenseless; she had been spared his wrath. Even he did not know why.  
  
Now she sat perched on his shoulders, fast asleep, sucking her thumb as she cuddled up in the fluffy fur of his tail and clung to his long white hair with her other arm. It had been a very long day. They had walked many miles, and even though they had rested several times, it was more than one could ask of a six-year-old. Even Jaken had conked out a few hours after their quick supper. The toad lay curled up under one of his arms; the one he had "borrowed" from a slain demon several days ago. With the good arm, he held his sword subtly, only showing a few inches of metal, giving the clear message that the fact he walked with a child on his back and a toad in his arms did not make him any less fatal. It was true, of course. He had fought in stranger situations and won. Ambidexterity was one natural talent that had not failed him yet, and it had gotten him out of many a sticky situation. Very rarely did his opponents live to see the next sunrise. His claws were some of the deadliest in the land. Anyone with the slightest bit of brains knew to stay out of his way.  
  
No one would dare come up against Sesshomaru. Then again, that hadn't stopped Naraku.  
  
Who was this youkai they called Naraku? It was still a mystery. No one knew quite who he was or how he went about doing his evil. All that was truly known about him was that wherever he went, destruction, despair, and pain would follow. He was the most feared being in all the land. No one knew what he did. Frankly, Sesshomaru hoped never to see him again, and if he did, one of them would be sure to die. He could only hope it would be Naraku and not himself.  
  
Naraku had been the one to destroy Rin's village. For that, Sesshomaru would never be able to forgive him.  
  
How very strange that he, who had, after all, caused the demise of so many before him, could wish vengeance on one who did the same. But in the end, it all had to do with perspective.  
  
Sesshomaru yawned. It had been many hours since he had slept, and even then, it had only been for a few hours. He was never able to sleep very long. It was an old habit he had developed from many days of tracking enemies in the wilderness. He could go days on end without any sleep at all. However, he thought, they'd better camp soon anyways.  
  
Up ahead, there was a large clearing. It looked safe and comfortable, absolutely clear of anyone else; the perfect place to camp. There was no need to make a fire. It was not such a cool night, and nobody would dare to come near them, without risking their life. Even a complete imbecile would know that his growls clearly meant to stay away. It wasn't all bad, being known as a fierce demon.  
  
At a soft, grassy spot, he knelt down, setting Jaken down gently on a tufty fern. The toad did not wake, but curled into a ball, his staff clutched firmly in his hand, snoring softly in a dream. He made a low buzzing noise as he breathed, rolling slightly each time.  
  
With the greatest of care, he lifted Rin from his shoulders and laid her on a soft patch of grass. She gave out a small cry; the sort of fussy, innocent sound a child made when they were asking for something, or when something have annoyed them.  
  
"Shh," he shushed her quietly. "It's alright. It's me."  
  
"Mmm. . . Sesshy-Fluffy. . ." she muttered, cuddling into the tip of his tail, burrowing her head into the fur, and falling asleep again.  
  
Sesshomaru lay back onto the ground, reclining on the soft, mossy earthy. Anyone else who would dare to call him a name like "Fluffy" would find themselves beaten and bruised, if not worse, but somehow, coming from such a small child, it almost seemed like a compliment. It was so surreal. For all his life, he'd been feared by all. He'd heartlessly slaughtered many innocents in his time; it was too hard to count them all. Now, when faced with the full responsibility for another being, he found himself caring for this little child more than he had ever cared about anything in his entire life. He was all she had now. It was as if she were his own child.  
  
His eyes began to become heavy. And as he began to fall asleep, he couldn't help but feel that he this was a different sort of responsibility. For the first time in his life, he felt that he was important, and that it was his turn to be loved.  
  
He really loved that little girl.  
  
Inuyasha could wait. The Tetsuiga could wait. Everything in the whole world could wait. But Rin could not wait, and Sesshomaru was not prepared to do so. 


End file.
